The Legacy of Imam Abu Dawud: His Teachers, Piety, and Sunan
This lecture explores the biography of Imam Abu Dawud, highlighting his scholarly journey under giants like Imam Ahmad and al-Bukhari. It discusses his piety, the praise he received from scholars, and the immense value of his Sunan in compiling the rulings of the Prophet ﷺ. The speaker also touches upon the commentaries of his work and his impact on Basra.
“And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh,
from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.” (Quran 35:28)
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
“In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
“[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds -” (Quran 1:1-2)
May the peace, blessings, and prayers of Allah be upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his family, and companions.
Welcome, everyone, to a new episode of this series.
Our discussion continues on the biography of a Hadith scholar, Imam Abu Dawud (RH), the author of the Sunan.
In the previous episode, I mentioned to you...
...some of his biography, especially the beginnings of Abu Dawud's (RH) scholarly journey,
and also his studying under a large group of scholars who were truly among the greatest scholars
in the Islamic world in general.
For example, if we mention al-Bukhari (RH) and Muslim (RH),
and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RH), the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.
I also mentioned some of his students, and some of his piety, asceticism, and devoutness.
As for Abu Dawud (RH), he is indeed highly trusted by the scholars, and therefore, the praises of Abu Dawud...
are indeed on the tongue of every scholar.
For they praised him, commended his virtue, and mentioned his status,
and they were also pleased with his methodology of compilation.
Even Imam Abu Dawud's (RH) methodology in compilation is pleasing to the scholars,
Therefore, Abu Bakr al-Khallal (RH) said: "Abu Dawud is the leading Imam of his time,
a man whom no one preceded in his knowledge of extracting sciences,
meaning, no one preceded him in the matter of his knowledge of extracting sciences
and his insight into their locations in his time.
A man unmatched in his knowledge of deriving the sciences
A pious, distinguished man.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal heard one hadith from him,
which Abu Dawud used to mention with pride — as I noted —
that Imam Ahmad took a hadith from him, even though Ahmad was his own teacher.
And Ibrahim Al-Asfahani and Abu Bakr bin Sadaqah used to elevate his status,
and speak of him in ways they never spoke of anyone in his time.
To the point that Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yasin Al-Harawi said, speaking of Abu Dawud:
"He was one of the preservers of Islam for the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,
and its knowledge, defects, and chains; at the highest levels of
devotion, chastity, righteousness, and piety, a knight of Hadith."
This is how they praised Abu Dawud. Muhammad bin Ishaq Al-Saghani says,
and Ibrahim bin Ishaq Al-Harbi says: "When Abu Dawud compiled his book Al-Sunan,
Hadith was made soft for Abu Dawud, just as iron was made soft for Dawud (AS)."
Allahu Akbar! What an amazing statement.
Even now, those who served the book of Al-Sunan
mention this sentence at the beginning, on the cover of the book.
or in the introduction of the book, they say:
"Hadith was made soft for Abu Dawud just as iron was made soft for Dawud (AS)."
Dawud (AS) — Allah ﷻ said: "And We made the iron soft for him."
Meaning that Allah ﷻ made it easy for Abu Dawud
to compile the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ with all truthfulness and precision.
Muhammad ibn Mukhlad says: "Abu Dawud used to master reviewing 100,000 Hadiths,"
or even more.
And when he compiled the Sunan and read it to the people, his book became
like a Mus'haf for the scholars of Hadith, which they followed and did not oppose.
And the people of his time acknowledged his memorization and preeminence in it.
Musa ibn Harun, the well-known Hafiz, says:
"Abu Dawud was created in this world for Hadith, and in the Hereafter for Paradise."
Allahu Akbar.
Of course, regarding this praise, we must say,
"If Allah wills"—meaning we hope this for him,
we hope this for him, as this is the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah,
And the scholars who praise him in this manner mean this.
Hence, this beautiful statement:
"Abu Dawud was created in this world for Hadith, and in the Hereafter for Paradise."
Musa ibn Harun also said: "I have not seen anyone better than Abu Dawud."
And 'Allan ibn 'Abd al-Samad said: "I heard Abu Dawud—and he was one of the knights of this field..."
"I heard Abu Dawud—one of the knights of this field."
These are statements containing great commendation.
Abu Hatim ibn Hibban and al-Sam'ani say:
"Abu Dawud was one of the imams of the world
in fiqh, knowledge, memorization, asceticism, piety, and precision.
He collected, authored, defended the Sunan, and suppressed those who opposed or contradicted them.
Meaning, he was a lion and a knight of Hadith, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him.
Ibn Mandah, Abu Abdullah, said:
"Those who extracted the Sahih, distinguishing the sound from the defective and error from correct, are:
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari,
and Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri,
and after them, Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath ibn Ishaq al-Sijistani,
and Abu Abd al-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasa'i."
Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi said:
Al-Hakim speaks of Abu Dawud, saying:
"Abu Dawud is the Imam of the scholars of Hadith in his era, without dispute.
His hearing was in Egypt, the Hijaz, ash-Sham, the two Iraqs, and Khorasan.
He wrote in Khorasan before leaving for Iraq, in his hometown and Herat.
And he wrote in Baghlan from Qutaybah ibn Sa'id.
And also in Rayy from Ibrahim ibn Musa.
However, his highest chain of transmission is through al-Qa'nabi.
and Muslim ibn Ibrahim, and Musa ibn Isma'il;
and in Ash-Sham, Abu Tawbah Al-Rabi' ibn Nafi' and Haywah ibn Shurayh Al-Himsi.
He had written in the past in Nishapur, then traveled with his son Abu Bakr.
This one whom we mentioned, and we said he is also trustworthy, a firm Imam, who traveled with his son Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawud to Khorasan.
Al-Nawawi (RH) said: "The scholars agreed on praising Abu Dawud,
describing him with perfect memorization, abundant knowledge, precision, piety, religiousness, and sharp understanding of Hadith and other fields.
In a statement by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (RH), he says:
"Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud are two Imams in fiqh from the people of Ijtihad."
He says: "An Imam in fiqh from the people of Ijtihad."
And Ibn 'Abd al-Hadi says about him—while speaking about Abu Dawud: "The firm Imam, the master of the memorizers."
As for al-Dhahabi, the hafidh and historian of Islam, he says:
"Abu Dawud, along with his leadership in Hadith and its sciences, was a major jurist,
and his book indicates that.
You know that some Hadith scholars busy themselves with Hadith
in terms of tracking chains and narrating Hadiths, and are distracted from fiqh.
Abu Dawud (RH) combined narration and comprehension.
He did not suffice with narration only, but also comprehension.
His compilation of this book and its categorization also indicate his high standing in this matter.
Ibn Taghribirdi says, speaking about Abu Dawud:
"He was the undisputed leader of the people of Hadith in his time,
and he was knowledgeable in the defects of Hadith, and devout."
Abu Tahir also said: "He (RH) was, in his time,
referred to in al-jarh wa-al-ta'dil,
and his words were recorded, and relied upon to the utmost degree."
He also said, "He was knowledgeable in narrators
and in Hadith and its narration, a mountain among mountains."
This is Imam Abu Dawud (RH).
Many of us do not know the reality of such matters
about Abu Dawud (RH).
He is only associated with his book, al-Sunan.
But it is important to discover such matters,
because these people are, in reality, the righteous role models for Muslims.
I mentioned to you, my brothers and sisters, that Imam Abu Dawud (RH)
authored many works and did not only write the book of al-Sunan.
When we look back at the era in which he grew up,
Abu Dawud (RH), we find that it was an era of compilation and authorship,
and the reason for that, as it appears—and Allah ﷻ knows best—was the strength of the scholarly movement in that period,
And also the availability of the causes of this scientific movement,
the abundance of scholars, and their spread across regions and countries.
Also, the sciences were still in the process of maturing,
they had not yet matured or stabilized.
This is why most scholars wrote extensively.
This is what seems to be the case, and Allah ﷻ knows best.
Imam Abu Dawud is considered one of the prolific authors,
as I mentioned, especially in Hadith, both in narration and analysis.
His most famous book is Al-Sunan, but he has very many other books.
If I were to mention them by way of example, not exhaustively,
because listing them all would be difficult.
Among his books is Al-Marasil, which is a well-known, printed book.
Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, Al-Tafarrud fi al-Sunan, and Al-Masa'il he was asked about.
he asked Imam Ahmad about and recorded.
He had also written on some of the sciences of the Quran,
such as the abrogating and abrogated verses of the Quran.
Also, the Questions of Abu Dawud to Imam Ahmad, as I mentioned.
And he has books still in manuscript form, such as Al-Zuhd,
the 'Book of Resurrection', and the 'Book of Narrators from Brothers and Sisters'.
As for Al-Sunan, it is indeed one of the greatest
compilations of the Prophetic Sunnah after the Sahihayn, as testified by the giants of this field and the greatest scholars,
due to the quality of its chains of narration, its excellent organization, and also because it compiles the core ahadith of rulings.
Pay attention to this, for this is one of the things in which Imam Abu Dawud excelled, and this is why...
Abu Yahya Zakariya ibn Yahya al-Saji says: 'The Book of Allah ﷻ is the foundation of Islam,
and the book of Sunan by Abu Dawud is the covenant of Islam.' Glory be to Allah, the Almighty!
That is, he says the book of Sunan Abi Dawud is the covenant of Islam,
just as the Book of Allah ﷻ is the foundation of Islam.'
Ibn al-A'rabi (RH) says: 'If a man had no knowledge
except the Mus-haf containing the Book of Allah, and then this book—
meaning Sunan Abi Dawud—he would not need any other knowledge at all alongside them.'
And al-Khattabi (RH) says in Ma'alim al-Sunan: 'The book of Sunan Abi Dawud
is a noble book; no book like it has been written in the science of religion.
It has been granted acceptance by all people,
so it became an arbiter between the groups of scholars and classes of jurists, despite their different madhhabs.
For everyone has a watering place in it and drinks from it,
and upon it rely the people of Iraq, Egypt, the Maghreb, and many other regions.'
...the Earth. Ibn al-Qayyim, Shams al-Din Abu Abd Allah (RH),
says in his footnote on Sunan Abi Dawud—
Of course, you know that Ibn al-Qayyim has a footnote on Sunan Abi Dawud
named Tahdhib al-Sunan—
He says: since the Sunan of Abu Dawud
(RH) holds such a place in Islam
that Allah ﷻ distinguished it, making it a judge among Muslims
and a decisive authority in disputes — to which the fair-minded turn.
And by its ruling, the verifying scholars are satisfied.
For he gathered together the hadith of legal rulings,
and arranged them in the finest order,
and organized them in the finest organization,
along with selecting them with the finest selection,
and discarding hadith of disparaged and weak narrators.
End of his words.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (RH), in al-Nukat
on Ibn al-Salah,
says regarding Abu Dawud: it becomes clear that all hadith
Abu Dawud remained silent on are not necessarily hasan technically;
rather, they fall into different categories.
You know that Abu Dawud, in his letter to the people of Makkah,
mentioned some of his methodology and conditions.
Ibn Hajar (RH) says: "The hadith about which Abu Dawud remained silent
is of several categories: some are in the Sahihayn or meet Sahih conditions,
some of it is Hasan li-dhatih, and some of it is Hasan when supported,
and these two categories are very frequent in his book."
Then he said: "And some of it is weak, but narrated by those who are not generally agreed upon to be abandoned,"
and all these categories, according to him, are fit as evidence.
Of course, this book has been served by scholars through commentaries and annotations,
and among its most important commentaries, for example, is Ma'alim al-Sunan by al-Khattabi,
as well as Mukhtasar...
...Sunan Abi Dawud by 'Abd al-'Adhim ibn 'Abd al-Qawi al-Mundhiri,
and also Tahdhib Sunan Abi Dawud by Shams al-Din Ibn al-Qayyim.
There are also commentaries such as the commentary of Ibn Raslan,
as well as the commentary of al-Suyuti, 'Mirqat al-Su'ud ila Sunan Abi Dawud',
and also the commentary of Abu al-Tayyib Shams al-Haqq al-'Adhimabadi,
which he named 'Awn al-Ma'bud Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud.
In general, my brothers and sisters, this great book is a reference and a source for the people of Islam, and it is enough
for Imam Abu Dawud to have this book which has indeed
carried his name and served the religion of Islam.
Abu Dawud (RH), after a life full of diligence, striving, and benefit, passed away
at his appointed time, which Allah has decreed for everyone.
"For every term there is a decree. For every term there is a decree."
He passed away, may Allah have mercy on him,
on Friday night, the sixteenth of Shawwal, in the year 275 AH,
and his death was in Basra, where he resided.
During the era of Imam Abu Dawud, the Zanj Rebellion—as they call it—occurred in Basra.
They revolted, of course, in the year 255 AH,
and their rebellion continued until the year 270 AH.
They devastated Basra and its surroundings, and Basra suffered a great deal of evil.
Of course, the prince Al-Muwaffaq asked Abu Dawud to move to Basra to rebuild it,
because Basra was rebuilt—it was rebuilt physically
through construction and building, and rebuilt intellectually and educationally,
and that was by asking the scholars to return to Basra because it was
indeed a center of knowledge and a destination for scholars in matters of language and Hadith.
Therefore, Abu Dawud returned and spent his time teaching the Sunan from the year 271 until the year 275,
the year in which he passed away, may Allah have mercy on him.
He had willed that Al-Hasan ibn Al-Muthanna wash him, and Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Hashimi led his funeral prayer.
He was buried next to the grave of Sufyan ibn Sa'id al-Thawri, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him.
So peace be upon Abu Dawud among the first, and peace be upon him among the last,
and I ask Allah Almighty to gather us with him in the Gardens of Pleasure.
And until another figure from the giants of the people of knowledge, but in the next meeting, Allah willing.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.